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Monday, September 30, 2013

Saturday I decided to have some play time with my art supplies and came up with this.

I pulled out an 8 x 8 canvas and started using acrylic paint to cover it. Then I used some stencils, more paint, drywall tape, washi tape and watercolor. I tried a photo transfer but that didn't work so I just added another photo of Amanda's dog Tucker. Finished the edges with more washi tape and trimmed around the sides with ribbon.

Tucker loves playing with tennis balls and I this was a photo taken when he had just received a new package. He always has a ball with him and will take his foot and slap it your way for you to kick it back to him. He's a big lovable baby and a great guard dog for Amanda.

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Friday was my time to get away and just enjoy the day. There is this lovely town, Franklin Ky., that's about an hour away. I knew the quilt shop there was closing so I decided to make one final trip to see what was still available. Everything was on sale at 50% off. How could I resist picking up these.

My sole purpose for this purchase was to make 3 new quilts from a BQ2 Pattern from Maple Island Quilts. You use the floral print for the 12" center and use coordinating solids for side and bottom strips. I loved the way that the pattern went together so quickly and fit our bed with enough drape on both sides. The only thing is I don't have the quilt any longer, I gave it to our daughter Amanda but hey, that gave me a chance to buy more fabric.

As I was walking through the shop I also found this.

I have been working on Sylvia's Bridal Sampler, off and on, for two years now and it's all in 40's fabrics. I have 21 of 140 traditional blocks complete, but I have joined a group that gives a weekly challenge to everyone. It helps a lot to know others are working on the same thing and you get to see all of the different fabrics that each one is using.

Here are the last two blocks I complete this week so new fabric will go a long way to help me complete my task.

Thanks for stopping by and I wish you all a wonderful weekend. If you leave a comment please include an email address so I can reply. I can't accept anonymous comments.

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Last week I visited JoAnn's new location in Goodlettsville and purchased this yarn in three different colors. I just love it and its so soft. It's called Truffles by Bernat. One ball will make a ruffle scarf.

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Pulled out my nice wooden needles, size 7, and started knitting the scarf. About a fourth of the way through I realized I had an extra stitch, and there are only 5 cast on. The directions say to work in every other space of the top edge of the yarn.

I thought, don't ask me why, I could just remove the last stitch instead of working a decrease. When I did the whole thing started to unravel. I rolled it back up and put it away for the night. The next night I started it again, made it about half way through and things were going good. I stopped, went to the kitchen for something, came back, picked up my needles and every stitch slid off. So, I rolled it back up and put it away.

Last night I started it AGAIN but I changed to a size 10 plastic needle and found a cover for the tip. I love the smoothness of my wooden needles but I had to put them up. Things seem to be working now so I hope that I can get this finished without anymore problems.﻿

Thursday, September 19, 2013

This past Saturday, the 14th was my birthday. I have always said birthdays are just another day but when you turn 60, it seems a little different. My daughter, Amanda, was determined not to let me spend the day and evening alone. Ricky had a prior music event scheduled at the assisted living center for that night and could not break it. Actually, I would not have wanted him to. Those people at the center look forward to the music and company from Ricky and the guys that play with him.

So Amanda told me she was taking me to dinner. Normally we pick a place and a time and go. Not this time. All she said was we have to be somewhere by 6:00 pm.

From my previous post you can read that we spent the day at the art festival. But before we got there Amanda said we have to make a stop. She took me to Sweet and Sassy Bakery. Before we went in, she said we are going in here and I want you to pick out a cake that will serve about 10. Now my curiosity is peaked but I did what she ask.

It just happened that they had this cake ready and the customer that ordered it didn't want it. Hey, it already had Happy Birthday written on it and it was Strawberry with Cream Cheese Icing. Who wouldn't want that!!!! So she got the cake, put it in the trunk and off we go to the festival. Now, this was about 11 or 11:30 and we left the festival at about 1:30pm. Then we went to my niece's baby shower and finally made it home about 4:30pm. I told Amanda that if the cake melted we could always eat it with a spoon.

Went home, rested a bit and back to Amanda's at 5:15pm to be where ever at 6:00. So we take off and finally arrive at our destination, Fontanella's. I have only been there one other time and wasn't that impressed but they have changed owners and it is now Italian so I was very excited to try it out.

Walked in the door and who do I see, sitting there waiting for me.

My girls, not all of them but, standing behind me are my daughters Amanda and Teresa and my daughter in law, Christy. Sitting beside me is my youngest granddaughter Abby. My other two granddaughters, Lauren and Kaitlin, had to work. What a wonderful surprise. A girls night out and a celebration. The food was fantastic and I even had a glass of wine. I also received presents!

A beautiful Pandora bracelet and charms from each one. They actually made me cry and I felt so special. A night I will always remember.

Then we had that beautiful cake and let me tell ya', it was delicious. I had the best time ever and will always cherish the time and effort that the girls put into making me feel special on my 60th birthday. I am truly blessed with a wonderful and loving family and I thank God everyday for each and everyone.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Amanda went with me to the Goodlettsville Art and Music Festival. I had 8 paintings showing that were for sale. Hope someone took a few home. While we were walking around I spotted these three items.

This is a bird house that has been painted and covered with trinkets. When I saw it I knew exactly what I was going to do. Make one using all of my mothers earrings. I have had a bag full of her old earrings for 7 years now and never knew what to do with them.

This is a flower pot that has been made the same way. I just have to decide if which one to make. I think it's a great idea.

And this is the best of all. Someone has taken an old dress form, painted it, covered it with pennies and sealed it with resin. She had her custom made necklaces on it for display. I have an old dress form and thought this would be another way of recycling something that I don't want to give away.

We had a great day and I was very happy that we were able to spend the time together.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Today has been a fun day for me. I have been in my cottage just busy as a bee. I made these two Communion cloths for the church.

I purchased a set of 8 napkins at Sam's Club. They are 20" x 20" and will be used to cover the bread plate. I now have enough new designs to go along with my old ones to complete the set of napkins.

I found the designs at Windstar Embroidery. They have a lot of Religious designs that stitch out beautifully.

While the embroidery machine was at work, I was at the sewing machine working on my Orca Bay quilt. I am still on step 3 which is string blocks, but hey, moving along slow and steady is ok with me.

Now I have a total of 14 completed with only 40 left to do. I thought these string blocks would be boring for me, but actually I enjoy working on them. It's a process that you don't really have to think about. Just pull a strip and stitch it on. I hope your day was filled with some fun.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

For the past month I have been a volunteer to help paint Barn Quilts for the city of Goodlettsville, TN. There were several artists from Artists on Main Studio and Gallery (where I paint on Weds.) that worked on the panels.

This is the Monkey Wrench pattern that is on the front of the local Camp Ground.

This one is also at the Grand Ole RV Resort and Camp Ground. It was painted to represent country music, which is so popular in Nashville, TN and Goodlettsville is just outside the city limits of Nashville.

This one is hanging on the building where the local quilt shop Quilter's Attic is. The owner, Fran, is a certified instructor of Judy Neimeyer patterns and this represents the Bali Wedding Star quilt. I purchased the pattern for my birthday.

This is a Barrister's Block and is hanging on the side of a local attorney's office. I have to admit that I did get frustrated with the process a couple of times but I'm proud of the way they turned out and it's nice to know that I had a part in it.

Monday, September 9, 2013

Today I worked most of the time taking off layer after layer of fabric on the ironing board. About 5 or 6 layers down I uncovered this writing on the small end of the board.

I could not believe what I was seeing. The names: Bill Farris, Reeves Wilson, Thelma Farris, Ginniv Wilson and Pearl K. I enhanced the photo so you can see the names. I know that the second name is Reeves Wilson and the fourth name is Ginniv Wilson, his wife. They were related to Ricky. I don't remember Reeves but Aunt Ginniv was a quilter and she and Martha, Ricky's mother would quilt together. As well as other women in the church.

I have been told that Thelma was Ginniv's sister and she was married to Bill Farris. Pearl K. was Thelma and Ginniv's mother. That makes sense because their last name was Knight. I'm still checking on that information before I record it in my journal. I actually cut the piece and saved it. I don't know what I'll do with it but I just couldn't throw it away.

After a few more layers of, what looked like a muslin, I found this blanket.

It was folded into four layers and then nailed and stitched together underneath the board.

I had to save a few of the nails that were holding all of that together. There were four different sizes plus two broken safety pins and two straight pins. Oh, and there were two little black spiders that came out of the material. I didn't save them but I'm sure they had a long life.

So, after all of that here it is. Actually, I think it's in great shape for its age. I'm going to do a little research and maybe find out more about it.
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I'm not sure about this lettering but I think it says Mills Transfer. That's stamped on the large end of the board.

This is a close up of the bracket that holds the legs in place. Pretty neat, but the best of all......

is the price tag, marked with 88 cents, I found still glued on the bottom of the board. Again, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Imagine paying 88 cents for an ironing board. I wish I knew how old it was.

I put quite a bit of time into this project but I can't be more pleased than I am now. I am so glad that I took my time instead of just ripping everything off. So today, I have received another life lesson and this one is about taking your time because you never know what's hiding underneath. Don't just throw it away because it's old. Some things can be made new again.

Saturday, September 7, 2013

In July, my mother in law passed away. As the family has been cleaning out the house getting ready for a granddaughter to buy it, I have been the proud recipient of a few of her sewing items.

One was her sewing basket that I posted about earlier. It even had a few of her left over hand pieced quilt blocks and other sewing items.

Last Sunday we were back at her house to see how things were going and I saw this iron on the table. I ask if I could have it because mine had just quit working a few days before. So I picked it up and brought it home. Now, this iron is not that old, a Black and Decker Quick N' Easy 300, but my goodness. Look at the bottom of it.

I took the thing in the house and cleaned and cleaned and cleaned some more. I used Bar Keepers Friend, Oven Cleaner, Tarnish Remover and a lot of "elbow grease".

I ran White Vinegar and water through it several times and boy does it put out the steam. Now on t the best part of all

Check out this OLD ironing board that she used. Ricky took off the cover that was on it before we brought it home. It's made out of wood and metal.

The covers that are left on it are nailed down. Some of the material looks like muslin but I'm not sure about all of them.

This is the cross bars that are attached to the legs at the bottom.

This is the front side, just look at the bottom of it. That's where the iron stayed and from the looks of it, it was well used.

I have counted 12 layers of some type of fabric on it and in the center you can see the wood.

This is the back were the leg bracket fits into the brace. All metal.

And this is the size of the nails that are keeping the material on the board. Ricky wants it cleaned up so we can have our house and my studio drawn on it. We have a neighbor that works in pen and ink and makes wonderful pieces of art. I don't know though, I kinda want to keep it as original as possible and maybe even use it in my studio. What would you do if you had it?

Friday, September 6, 2013

Today was a day of new life around R and K Farm. First thing this morning, while having coffee on the patio I looked across the field and saw this beautiful sight.

Another new calf born before daylight. Ricky went out and checked to make sure they were okay and discovered it was another heifer.

So far that makes 3 girls and 1 boy, with 5 more due this month. It looks like the little ladies are winning. She is so cute, with that bit of white on her face.

Later on I decided I was going to give my Grandmothers old sewing box a new life. It was about to come apart and to old to use so I found some paint and gave it a new color. While it was drying,

I went to town and purchased potting soil and flowers to put inside it. I also painted it with a waterproof sealer inside and out. Our dogs had dug out a spot beside the bird bath which was just perfect.

The next thing I did was take my glass shower door and bucket that used to be my water fountain and moved it between the rose bushes. I also added flowers inside the bucket.

Now the side of my cottage is ready for the new Fall season. The creation of new life, whether it is a new baby calf or new flower containers from something old that has been sitting around the house always makes me happy. It has been a great day!

Thursday, September 5, 2013

This post is taken from my Morning Pages Journal.
Have you ever looked at the grass when there is dew on the ground? Most of the time I say it looks like frost but this morning I see a completely different picture.

It reminds me of a view from above. I can see the lay of the ground and where the dogs have made their paths to go out and back. I can see how they walk the same way only veering off a little bit as they return home.

It reminds me of the life we live and the paths we take. We start our journey out into the world traveling along a path. As we continue on through life we veer off in different directions, but in the end we return to the same place --------- HOME

Home, where we feel safe. Home, where we feel love. Home, where we feel a sense of peace and for me that is my home where I live.

It's also my home where God resides in my heart. My God is my home and I know I may veer away but He is always there waiting for me to return. Watching and waiting to see my footsteps in the dew and knowing that when I return He opens the door and says welcome home.